Recognise Bank

What Recognise Bank does

Recognise Bank is a UK-regulated digital challenger bank focused on small and medium-sized enterprises, founded in 2017 and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority in 2021. The bank operates from a London headquarters (Worship Street, EC2A) and a secondary office in Milton Keynes, with 51–100 employees, and serves UK SMEs, property developers, property investors, brokers and personal/business savers.

The bank's product set is narrow and specialist. On the lending side it offers short-term bridging loans of up to £10 million (terms up to 24 months) and commercial mortgages from £250,000 to £7.5 million (terms up to 10 years), both secured against UK property and primarily originated through a broker and intermediary channel. On the funding side it takes personal and business deposits through notice, fixed-rate and easy-access accounts (rates up to 4.70% AER and 4.30% AER respectively), all FSCS-protected up to £120,000. Technology is centred on an in-house digital banking platform with online account opening, digital account management and ClearBank as the payment-clearing partner; the bank does not operate a mobile app.

Recognise Bank generates revenue primarily through net interest margin, earning interest on its loan book (which surpassed £500 million by June 2026) and paying interest on its deposit base (which exceeded £600 million by June 2026). Cumulative equity raised exceeds £95 million, anchored by a £25 million December 2022 investment from largest shareholder PV27, alongside a £8.7 million May 2022 warrant-exercise round. Distribution is hybrid: lending is broker-led (with named introductions from Pomegranate, Watts, Aura, Tapton, Portway, Roscap, Mortimer Street and others, plus NACFB membership) while savings are acquired both directly online and through the Insignis Cash platform.

Name

Recognise Bank

Legal name

Recognise Bank Limited

Website

https://recognisebank.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Recognise Bank is a UK-regulated digital challenger bank providing bridging loans, commercial mortgages, and personal and business savings products to small and medium-sized enterprises, property developers, and savers, distributed primarily through brokers and a digital platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

SME Challenger Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (522110), Commercial Banking (52211), Savings Institutions and Other Depository Credit Intermediation (52218)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA)

Keywords

• SME commercial lending
• Bridging finance
• Commercial mortgages
• Business savings accounts
• Personal savings accounts

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Lending Interest Income: Recognise Bank generates primary revenue from interest income on its bridging loans and commercial mortgages. The bank offers bridging loans of up to £10 million with terms up to 24 months, and commercial mortgages from £250,000 to £3 million (flexible borrowing up to £7.5 million) with terms up to 10 years. Interest margins on short-term property finance form the core revenue stream.
2. Deposit-Taking and Interest Margin: The bank accepts personal and business savings deposits, paying competitive interest rates (up to 4.70% AER for personal savings, up to 4.30% AER for business savings). The spread between the interest earned on loans and the interest paid on deposits constitutes a key revenue stream. Deposits are FSCS protected up to £120,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Recognise Bank is a UK digital challenger bank providing commercial lending products (bridging loans up to £10 million and commercial mortgages from £250,000 to £7.5 million) and FSCS-protected savings accounts (personal and business notice, fixed rate, and easy access accounts) to small and medium enterprises and individual savers. The bank is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA.

Product overview

Recognise Bank is an SME challenger bank offering a focused portfolio of unregulated lending products and regulated deposit savings accounts. The core lending suite includes Bridging Loans (short-term secured finance up to £10 million with 24-month terms) and Commercial Mortgages (flexible borrowing from £250,000 to £7.5 million with up to 10-year terms). The savings portfolio comprises Personal Savings Accounts (Notice and Fixed Rate options with rates up to 4.70% AER) and Business Savings Accounts (Easy Access, Notice, and Fixed Rate options with rates up to 4.30% AER). All savings products carry FSCS protection up to £120,000. The bank positions itself as relationship-led with digital-powered delivery, targeting SMEs and property investors through broker partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Savings Accounts Regulated deposit savings accounts for individual UK residents offering Notice savings and Fixed Rate savings options, with competitive interest rates up to 4.70% AER, FSCS protection up to £120,000, minimum balance of £1,000, and simple online account management. No fees are charged on these accounts.
• Business Savings Accounts Deposit savings accounts for UK SMEs (fewer than 250 employees and either assets under £37.5m or turnover under £43.5m) offering Easy Access, Notice, and Fixed Rate savings options with rates up to 4.30% AER, no annual fees, and quick account setup. Available to sole traders, partnerships, LLPs, and limited companies.
• Bridging Loans Short-term secured property finance for SMEs, property developers, and investors offering loans up to £10 million with tailored terms of up to 24 months. Used for fast financing needs including property acquisitions, refinancing, and development projects. Non-regulated contracts under FSMA 2000 and FSMA Mortgage Credit Directive Order 2015. Rates are quote-based and determined by loan-to-value and borrower profile.
• Commercial Mortgages Flexible commercial property lending for SMEs and property investors offering borrowing from £250,000 to £3 million (with flexible borrowing up to £7.5 million) with loan terms up to 10 years. Designed to help businesses expand through property ownership. Rates are quote-based and determined by loan-to-value and borrower profile.

Quantifiable outcome

• Loan book surpassed £500 million with customer deposits exceeding £600 million as of June 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ClearBankcoreTechnology or IntegrationClearBank serves as Recognise Bank's clearing bank, enabling the bank to make and receive electronic payments to and from customer accounts. The ClearBank name may appear on payment references. This is a critical infrastructure partnership for payment processing and clearing services.
• Insignis CashminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInsignis Cash is a platform through which customers can open Recognise Bank deposit savings accounts. Deposits through this platform are FSCS protected up to £120,000, and this channel extends Recognise Bank's reach to additional SME customers.
• Mortimer Street CapitalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMortimer Street Capital worked with Recognise Bank to complete a £3.995m bridging facility secured against a portfolio of mixed-use property assets in Surrey, introduced by Mortimer Street Capital as a broker/intermediary.
• Pomegranate Commercial FinanceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPomegranate Commercial Finance introduced a £1.07m bridging loan for the refinance of two care homes in Bristol and Wales. This intermediary relationship supports Recognise Bank's strategy to expand its lending proposition through broker partnerships.
• Watts Commercial FinanceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWatts Commercial Finance introduced an £801,500 bridging loan for the acquisition of a Victorian property in Liverpool. The deal demonstrates Recognise Bank's strategy to support brokers and property professionals.
• Commercial Finance BrokersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommercial Finance Brokers introduced a £1.5 million bridging loan for an experienced developer's acquisition of a commercial investment property in Canterbury, Kent.
• Aura CapitalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAura Capital introduced a £401,000 commercial bridging loan to refinance a multi-let office property in Dundee city centre, structured through a newly formed special purpose vehicle.
• Tapton CapitalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTapton Capital introduced a £4.14m bridging loan to refinance a residential property portfolio of three properties in Twickenham and Surrey, reflecting Recognise Bank's focus on short-term property finance solutions through broker partnerships.
• Portway Finance (James Williams)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJames Williams of Portway Finance introduced a £1.96 million nine-month bridging loan to refinance and support the conversion of a former office building into 52 self-contained student studios in Aberdeen city centre.
• RoscapminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRoscap, a specialist debt and equity advisory firm, introduced a £2.665m bridging loan for a regional property developer in Manchester. Roscap played an instrumental role in supporting Recognise Bank with finalising the facility structure and presented the case clearly throughout the transaction.
• NACFB (National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecognise Bank is a member of the NACFB and participated in the NACFB Commercial Finance Expo where the bank launched its new brand positioning as 'The Decisive Bank'. NACFB membership provides access to the broker community.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hodge Bank: UK specialist bank offering savings, commercial mortgages, and later-life lending. Comparable to Recognise Bank as a UK specialist savings and commercial property lender, with a similar relationship-led model.
• Shawbrook Bank: UK challenger bank focused on SME lending, commercial mortgages, and savings. Closely comparable to Recognise Bank in product mix (bridging, commercial mortgages, business and personal savings) and target customer (UK SMEs and property professionals).
• Aldermore Bank: UK challenger bank serving SMEs, property professionals, and savers with bridging, commercial mortgages, and savings products. Direct competitor to Recognise Bank in the SME property lending and savings space.
• Allica Bank: UK SME-focused challenger bank offering commercial mortgages, asset finance, business current accounts, and savings. Direct peer to Recognise in targeting UK SMEs underserved by high-street banks, including property professionals.
• Cynergy Bank: UK challenger bank specialising in property finance, commercial mortgages, and SME lending. Directly comparable to Recognise Bank given the shared focus on property-secured SME lending and similar broker-led distribution model.
• OakNorth Bank: UK challenger bank focused on SME and property lending, including bridging and commercial mortgages. Comparable to Recognise Bank in product mix and target segment, though typically serving larger SME borrowers.
• Atom Bank: UK digital-only challenger bank offering business and savings products including commercial mortgages. Comparable to Recognise Bank as a digitally-delivered UK challenger with SME and savings offerings, though broader in product range.

Broad incumbents

• Metro Bank: UK challenger bank offering a full suite of retail, business, and commercial property banking services. Comparable to Recognise Bank as a UK-regulated challenger, but operates at much greater scale and with a branch-based model.
• Starling Bank: UK digital challenger bank with business current accounts, business savings, and SME lending. Comparable to Recognise Bank in digital-only UK challenger positioning and savings franchise, though broader in product range.

Emerging players

• Tide: UK SME-focused digital business banking platform. Comparable to Recognise Bank in targeting UK SMEs underserved by incumbents, with a digital-first onboarding model. Partial overlap given Tide's focus on business current accounts rather than property lending.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Recognise-Bank-102425841745760
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/recognisebank
• Instagraminstagram.com/recognisebank
• Xx.com/RecogniseBank

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Recognise Bank